I've been applying for some VA police jobs in locations where I know I would want to live. I'm mentoring in Afghanistan right now and to be honest I really don't care where I end up living. Can anyone give me an idea of which locations throughout the country have a lot of overtime and/or the best reputation for being a good place to work?

Assuming I get picked up somewhere I would start at the high end of the salary range so as long as I'm not in some place like San Francisco or NYC, I would be ok on money just about anywhere.

I've been applying for some VA police jobs in locations where I know I would want to live. I'm mentoring in Afghanistan right now and to be honest I really don't care where I end up living. Can anyone give me an idea of which locations throughout the country have a lot of overtime and/or the best reputation for being a good place to work?

Assuming I get picked up somewhere I would start at the high end of the salary range......

Being a prior contractor overseas as well as a current VA Policeman, I'm here to tell you now that you're in for a HELL of a rude awakening if you think you're gonna start "At the high end of the salary range....."
1. VA uniformed patrol officers are GS-6's.
2. You need to seriously start researching Federal L.E. salaries.
3. Lower your expectations. This isn't contracting, and coming in as a new Fed, your negotiating options are more limited.....

Sorry about the salary thing, I guess I need to clarify a little. I'm also a former federal employee who is reinstatement eligible. I was a GS-11 step 6, so I would start at the step 10 level.

So...on with the initial question guys. Does any places have a better reputation? For example: I was a CBP Officer (Enforcement) before. We investigated and presented immigration related cases for prosecution. Nothing high speed, re-entry after deportation, false claims to US citizenship, document fraud and alien smuggling were our bread and butter. Some places were definitely better than others. Washington State was a terrible place to work, the US Attorney wouldn't take anything and management tried to limit your enforcement role. Atlanta was an dream job. The US attorney accepted almost any case and management is supposedly great.

Sorry about the salary thing, I guess I need to clarify a little. I'm also a former federal employee who is reinstatement eligible. I was a GS-11 step 6, so I would start at the step 10 level.

Not to burst your bubble, but technically if you accept a voluntary reduction in grade (GS-11/6 to a GS-6) they do NOT have to match your previous pay. With that said, yes it does seem to happen a lot...

On a side note, but based on your posted history, you are likely to be VERY bored at the VA.

Sorry about the salary thing, I guess I need to clarify a little. I'm also a former federal employee who is reinstatement eligible. I was a GS-11 step 6, so I would start at the step 10 level.

So...on with the initial question guys. Does any places have a better reputation? For example: I was a CBP Officer (Enforcement) before. We investigated and presented immigration related cases for prosecution. Nothing high speed, re-entry after deportation, false claims to US citizenship, document fraud and alien smuggling were our bread and butter. Some places were definitely better than others. Washington State was a terrible place to work, the US Attorney wouldn't take anything and management tried to limit your enforcement role. Atlanta was an dream job. The US attorney accepted almost any case and management is supposedly great.

Yeah...as already stated, they do not have to match your pay, nor do I seem them...

And did you apply under a Reinstatement announcement? I haven't seen the VA use that one...?

What we are seeking is to be treated, and compensated like the professionals that we are. Nurses in our hospital get $8.25 per pay period in uniform allowance, while we get $7.66. The last time I checked, it's a whole lot more expensive to buy and maintain police uniforms than nurse's scrubs. Cops and nurses earn similar salaries in the northeast, except at the VA.

Then ask AFGE to get involved and get you the appropriate clothing allowance.

Originally Posted by Old Flat Foot

Other Federal non-LEO agencies pay their cops much better. Here are the current Metro NYC Federal 0083 police salaries. If anyone has the NYC metro area Amtrak salaries they can post those.
VA Police $40,227 to $54,014
FBI Police $44,337 to 68,484
US Mint Police 52,179 to $76,541
Dept of Army Civilian Police $39,775 to $57,635

Amtrak starts at 43k.. Your quite comparable to most federal agencies who have GS-06 police officers. US Mint police at West Point atrat at 55k. I think it is 57k with training.

Originally Posted by Old Flat Foot

Here's a telling fact. Most police departments in America use police officers and maybe a couple of detectives as instructors in their police academies. But the VA uses special agents making $70-$80,000 as instructors at LETC, because the 0083 GS rates are so low that they probably could not get cops to come down to LETC for that 0083 cop salary.

The VA used to use police officers in its academy. Along with the idiots at Regional Counsel. OSLE 1811's come from the ranks of the 0083 and 0080 series..

Originally Posted by Old Flat Foot

The FBI and Mint Police are more like security guards with rarely used powers of arrest, highly paid security guards that is. While the VA and DOD are more like real police, interacting with the public, maintaining order, investigating crimes, conducting traffic and parking enforcement, etc, but lowly paid as police officers in the NYC area.

Intresting.. Last I checked, the guys at the 4 NYC area hospitals were sitting at magnometers and using xray machines. The Bronx guys have a main gate at the entrance to the facility. So not too much "real law enforcement" and ticket writing going on there. Hmmm, wonder how much LE goes on at Ft. Hamilton...Last I seen the DA cops werent doing too much there either since it is a MEPS processing facility mainly.

The point of my comments is that most of the good cops the VA hires here leave because the VA salaries for police in this area are way below prevailing salaries for law enforcement. I'm not being critical of any of the other hard working VA police officers anywhere else in America. I think that as a minimum all VA cops should be GS-7s.

Philadelphia has a GS-07 salary. The VA needs to blame OPM and DoD for not allowing an across the board GS increase... Also the VAP is loosing retention and other bonus pay in the near future given to VA Police Officers.

The only ones I'm aware of 0083 wise, who do any LE within NYC is the USPP and even those guys are restricted to park lands for the most part. Back in the day there was the CG PD at former Governor’s Island and Fort Wadsworth, but as far as I know, both those entities are gone now. DoD wise, like Orlando said, Ft. Hamilton is just a MEPS place....they may have some housing on there for the active-duty folks assigned there, but as far as "real police, interacting with the public, maintaining order, investigating crimes, conducting traffic and parking enforcement, etc," on Hamilton, I don't think the place is hopping like that.

Last time I checked the NYPD is hiring if you want to do all that "police" stuff.....

They seem to have had a few of the reinstatement announcements. If I remember correctly the "Who may apply" section will say status candidates and the reinstatement acceptance will be buried a little deeper in the announcement.

They seem to have had a few of the reinstatement announcements. If I remember correctly the "Who may apply" section will say status candidates and the reinstatement acceptance will be buried a little deeper in the announcement.

Ok, either way, I have only seen Status Announcements...what announcements were these?

Ok, either way, I have only seen Status Announcements...what announcements were these?

I forgot to mention this in my last post:

Do you work in Las Vegas? I applied for that location as it is in a part of the country I would love to live. It has a great housing situation (assuming your a buyer!!!) and it's location near the Utah and Arizona parks would be perfect.

Do you work in Las Vegas? I applied for that location as it is in a part of the country I would love to live. It has a great housing situation (assuming your a buyer!!!) and it's location near the Utah and Arizona parks would be perfect.

How long have you been seperated from CBP?

No I do not work for the VA, I quickly saw the light and left. No offense, but if you worked for CBP and did what you stated, you will be bored out of your mind.

No I do not work for the VA, I quickly saw the light and left. No offense, but if you worked for CBP and did what you stated, you will be bored out of your mind.

I've been away just under three years. I'm honestly just looking to come back to the US and get another federal job so I can receive a full retirement instead of a partial retirement once I turn 62. I can't really stay in an uncovered position for more that about three years if I want to collect a 6c retirement. My ultimate goal is to become a BIA police officer which will take a while because I am not status eligible. I was selected for a position with them about ten years ago and turned it down because of a woman and the pay cut at the time and I've regretted that ever since.

Immigration related investigations and prosecutions probably can't be considered exciting at all....

And this is why most of what you have to say about VA Police is irrelevant and holds no water.

I speak the truth about what I observed first hand. If it hold no water, so be it, that is your opinionand I am entitled to mine. To each their own Gio...However as you stated, "most of what you have to say"...and the other 75% is completely honet and on point!

^^ Irish, I like ya, and Gio's assessment might be a bit harsh. But you have to understand that VA Police have come a long, long way from when you've worked there and we continue to get better slowly but surely. Most V.A's have transitioned to the Sig from the older Berettas, new batons already fielded, new badges and creds being manufactured as we speak, and our expanded authority is now being reviewed by DOJ before the 0730 is re-wrote. Slowly but surely, we keep getting better.

Our biggest problem, IMHO, is that we continue to be stuck at GS-6 as patrol officers; I feel that we rate GS-7 as our journeyman level for ALL V.A.'s, not just a few. I feel that is a more realistic and doable goal for us right now; even more than getting 6c retirement. But that is neither here nor there......

The hospital(out patient clinic) was positive for all when the Chief they had was there. He assigned units to all out patient clinics, which he did not have to and gave a special uniform, again he did not have to do. It was all positive for the time being, however we were all 6/7's... and I know not all hospitals were or all like this.

You did your year as a 6, and then got bumped up to a 7. Of course he is gone and that no longer exists...

^^ Irish, I like ya, and Gio's assessment might be a bit harsh. But you have to understand that VA Police have come a long, long way from when you've worked there and we continue to get better slowly but surely. Most V.A's have transitioned to the Sig from the older Berettas, new batons already fielded, new badges and creds being manufactured as we speak, and our expanded authority is now being reviewed by DOJ before the 0730 is re-wrote. Slowly but surely, we keep getting better.

Our biggest problem, IMHO, is that we continue to be stuck at GS-6 as patrol officers; I feel that we rate GS-7 as our journeyman level for ALL V.A.'s, not just a few. I feel that is a more realistic and doable goal for us right now; even more than getting 6c retirement. But that is neither here nor there......

The biggest problem with getting 6c is that it would have to be funded by VHA not VA. If we weren't under VHA then 6c would be more attainable, the other problem is the outdated PD that OPM is going by in order to keep us at the GS6 level. Most of the problems can be attributed to not accounting for time spent doing criminal reports and investigations, and the restrictions placed on VA Police by directors under the guise of local memorandums and policy. Having doctors decide how law enforcement should work in thier hospital is just bad business.

Having doctors decide how law enforcement should work in thier hospital is just bad business.

Sounds just like the military......At some points I had pilots who washed out of flight training or pilots detailed to the SP Squadron while they awaited a flight slot, become our Ops Officers. Some were forced into the SP field, under the guise of helping them attain "career development" experience. Nothing like a guy who flies C-130s for living being in charge of LE personnel…..

^^ Irish, I like ya, and Gio's assessment might be a bit harsh. But you have to understand that VA Police have come a long, long way from when you've worked there and we continue to get better slowly but surely. Most V.A's have transitioned to the Sig from the older Berettas, new batons already fielded, new badges and creds being manufactured as we speak, and our expanded authority is now being reviewed by DOJ before the 0730 is re-wrote. Slowly but surely, we keep getting better.

Our biggest problem, IMHO, is that we continue to be stuck at GS-6 as patrol officers; I feel that we rate GS-7 as our journeyman level for ALL V.A.'s, not just a few. I feel that is a more realistic and doable goal for us right now; even more than getting 6c retirement. But that is neither here nor there......

I agree with QuietPro, while it's great upgrading to better weapons and equipment, the GS-7 rate for all could help retain cops. And the GS-7 rate would raise our Non-6c retirement pay too. I also think that all Police Services should fall under one central command, not subject to individual hospital directors' whims and biases.

I have had one with MI, 2 today with TN and NY called me asking if I was interested in the position which means an interview to follow as well. All of these closed in feb and I was referred in march and called soon after usajobs updated that I was referred. I've learned if you get referred then typically within 1-2 weeks you get a call. All mine have been within a week of the referral. I have LE experience and 10 point veteran preference.

What locations did you apply?

Atlanta.... then the new carrollton facility once completed. The police and the other VA staff have gone over and beyond my expectations. I am so excited to join the ranks.